Only the lost can be truly found
by Conna McCanna
Summary: An 'Only the blind can truly see' side story. Ryouga Hibiki, the Lost Boy. Wanderer, warrior, friend, fiance. This is the story of a familiar figure, undertaking a slightly different journey. Full of miss-steps, mistakes, and new discoveries. Friends lost and found, hope and joy, sorrow and depression. Crazy challenges, and the day to day wanderings of the lost. (Ryo-Xian)
1. Chapter 1

I do not in anyway, shape, or form lay claim to Rumiko Takahashi's great work, world, or characters. All characters and settings that are not of my own creation belong to Rumiko. I am simply a fan, borrowing and improvising from these great works. That said, I present to you my first side story in the Only the Blind Truly See AU.

Only the Lost can be Found. A 'Only the Blind Truly See' sidestory.

My name is Ryouga Hibiki. My old friend and rival, Ranma Saotome, suggested I start to keep this journal years ago, to help chronicle my journeys and adventures. He always said that he enjoyed hearing about my adventures, that it made things just a bit more interesting. I honestly don't see how anyone could want to hear about me being lost most of my life, or how my loneliness and lack of place could be in any way a good thing. But he insisted, and I humored him. I guess in the end, I listen to the annoying little rat more than I should.

He said that I should rewrite it from time to time, to better document things as I see things differently. Looking back, that might not have been a bad idea. I haven't always been in the best place, and might have had a bad perception of things. I blame people for things that are probably my fault at times, and I tend to dwell a bit too much on the negative in the world. Maybe I just see things clearer, or maybe that annoying little ray of light and hope that is Ranma might be right, and I might be a bit too focused on the negative. This is one of the few times I am glad that I don't have to worry about Ranma reading this. He would never let me live it down.

I'm also writing this for the next generation of Hibiki's, if they happen to also share my curse. Xian Pu found out about my journal, and insisted that it is a good idea, for when, how did she put it? "Too, too stupid Airen stop avoiding issue and get on with good stuff?" Mind you, I am not yet ready for the nose bleeds and passing out that even THINKING about anything like THAT right now leads to. I should probably not copy over stuff like that when I start working on the copies for the kids, because I know that someday I will have some. Xian Pu is rather insistant, and I can't say that I am entirely against the idea, either.

Anyway, after this preface, I will start to write about my journeys, and how they all started. About how the Lost Boy (As Ranma insists I should be known) was found. I guess this is my story, then? Maybe the old saying is true. Only the lost can be truly found. If that is the case, then I dare say that no one who isn't a Hibki can ever truly understand just how true that statement is.

A/N:

Just a quick starter before I get into the sidestory I have been wanting to write since, well, I started this. I promise I will update more often than in the past! Sorry for the short intro, but every story has to start somewhere, and every journey starts with the first step. And never has that been more true with one of the most changed in subtle ways of any of the characters from this story than Ryouga Hibiki. Without the mindless hatred and constantly shifted blame, with acceptance and even love, how would Ryouga change throughout the story? That was one of the biggest questions I posed to myself when I started this. Ranma being blind changed him. Now, lets see how Ryouga finding acceptance changes him?


	2. Chapter 2

I do not in anyway, shape, or form lay claim to Rumiko Takahashi's great work, world, or characters. All characters and settings that are not of my own creation belong to Rumiko. I am simply a fan, borrowing and improvising from these great works. That said, I present to you my first side story in the Only the Blind Truly See AU.

Only the Lost can be Found. A 'Only the Blind Truly See' sidestory.

Chapter 1

The day I met Ranma Saotome was a day that started out pretty normal, all in all. I left home three hours early, so I might make it to school at some point before they ended classes. It would help if they didn't move the school on a daily basis.

I had been walking for a while, maybe an hour, two at most when I saw a boy, about my age, walking with his hand tracing the wall. He was muttering something about a 'stupid old man'. I walked up, and asked him if this was Osaka. It really did look like Osaka. He gave me an odd look, made even odder by the fact he was wearing dark glasses and not actually looking at me. Mind you, it was overcast, and not all that bright. That is when he said "This is Tokyo, not Osaka. Did you get off the wrong train or somethin'?"

I took a moment to rejoice in my luck, and then asked him "Do you know where the Hanshu Boy's Academy is?" I could only hope that my luck held! I mean, I could make it to classes on time! I could be there before they rang the last bell of the day! Mom would be so happy!

He nodded slowly, pointing off in a general direction "Yes….It's 210 paces that way." He said pointing off in what I was sure was the wrong direction. "I walked there yesterday, getting ready for my first day in classes. My name's Ranma Saotome, nice ta meetcha."

He bowed slightly off to my left. It was an odd quirk, but if he could help me find where they had moved the school today, then I didn't mind. I returned the bow, and gave him a smile. "I'm Ryouga Hibiki. What class are you in?" I said as we started to walk towards the school. The odd thing was, he trailed just a bit behind me. Another odd behaviour, but I didn't really think anything of it.

"I'm just starting in class 2-c." He said, walking with that same odd shuffling gait I had seen earlier. Once again, I didn't think much of it, or the fact that he kept one hand lightly tracing the walls as we walked. He followed me across the cross walks, and after we had been walking for a bit, he stopped, turned to an empty lot and proudly proclaimed "Ok, we are here! It's awfully quiet, though…." He reached out, and touched the bare wall and frowned. "Where is the gate?"

I sighed "I see they much have moved the school again! Why they move it so suddenly, I don't know!" I cursed our luck, having been the victims of them moving the school randomly. He stopped, and turned slowly towards me.

"Are you playing a trick on me or somethin'?" He asked, his fist clenching a bit as he took on a different pose, a variant of a Kenpo stance, I was pretty sure.

I shook my head, looking for any clue of where they might have moved the school to. I knew that he had pointed in the wrong direction, so I had done my best to make sure we were heading towards the school, not away from it.

After a moment he growled "I asked you a question. Did. You. Trick. Me." He spelled it out slowly, one word at a time. He definitely was tightening his stance, but oddly his fingers were looser now, his hands open.

I repeated the shake of my head, then when he didn't react, I figured that he wanted to hear it from me, instead of just a gesture. "Of course I didn't! For the last year they have been doing this, moving the school on me randomly. It's almost never in the same place twice!" I admit, I let some of my frustration bleed over into my voice, and he slowly relaxed.

"You mean, you really DO think they move the school? What, do you get lost every day on the way? How far do you live from the school, anyhow?" He asks, relaxing just a bit.

I didn't like where he was going with that question, I mean, after all, it wasn't my fault that they moved the school! Mind you, I still hadn't come to grips with my little issue yet. "I don't get lost! I mean, not that often. And, some days the school is pretty close, other times it might as well be in another city."

He did that odd "Looking at me without looking at me thing" again, then sighed. "Ok, I think I can back track to where we met, and then go from there." He said, shaking his head. "C'mon, ain't no time like the present to get movin', or we ain't going to make it to class."

He sounded so confident that we could make it. I hate to admit it, but it made me think that we might actually be able to make it. When we showed up to class only a half hour late, I have to admit I was overjoyed. Yes, we missed the rest of that class period standing in the hall, and yes, he wasn't too happy about it. But all in all, I would say it was a pretty good day.


End file.
